By Karine Lajoie, founder and artisan of La Joie en Rose
Quebec workshop specialized in memorial jewelry since 2018, with more than 7,000 pieces handcrafted
Since 2018, in my Quebec workshop, I have handcrafted every piece of jewelry that incorporates the fur or ashes of beloved companions. More than 7,000 pieces have been born in my hands to date, and they have all taught me one thing: a pet memorial keepsake, when tangible, can transform sorrow into presence. Here are eight gentle, concrete ways to honour your faithful companion, at your own pace.
Key takeaways
- Pet loss is a grieving process fully recognized by Quebec veterinarians. According to the AMVQ, it follows the same major stages as any human grief: denial, anger, depression, and acceptance.
- Keeping a pet memorial keepsake is neither excessive nor strange. A 2024 Datapets and Woopets study reveals that 33.81% of grieving families consider it their top priority.
- The options are many and can be combined: paw prints, fur clippings, memorial jewelry, personalized urns, home memorial, or planting a tree.
- Some decisions, such as taking a fur clipping or paw print, are ideally planned before your pet’s passing.
- In Quebec, several resources can support you: the AMVQ, Mon Fidèle, Euthabag, Compagnons Éternels, and the books by Lynne Pion.
Pet grief, a fully recognized emotional reality
The loss of a pet is a true grieving process, comparable to losing a family member. This recognition is now shared by veterinarians, psychologists, and specialized grief counselors. Yet within our social circles, this sorrow is often minimized, which makes the journey even more isolating.
Why losing a pet is a grief in its own right
The bond between a person and their dog, cat, or other companion is woven day after day, over many years. According to the Pet Loss Support Resource Centre at the Ontario Veterinary College (University of Guelph), grief following the loss of a companion animal is real and valid, and can be as profound as the grief experienced after losing a human loved one. It generally moves through recognizable stages, including denial, anger, sadness, and acceptance, though each person experiences them at their own pace, and there is no “normal” timeline.
Quebec author Lynne Pion, in her book Apprivoiser le deuil animalier (a leading French-language reference on pet loss in Canada), reminds us how valid this sorrow is and how it deserves to be fully welcomed. Denying or suppressing it complicates the inner work and prolongs the suffering.
The psychological benefits of giving form to memory
Keeping an object, a fragment, a trace of your departed pet is a true tool for healing. A tangible keepsake offers an emotional anchor, a place where memory can rest so it does not fade with time.
A 2024 study conducted by Datapets and Woopets for the pet funeral service Esthima reveals that 33.81% of grieving families consider keeping a tangible keepsake their number one priority. Whether it is a photograph, fur, ashes, or a paw print: what matters is that the gesture honours the depth of your bond.
In our workshop, I see this reality every week. Families who order a memorial piece of jewelry often describe a new kind of peace, as if part of the sorrow had finally found its place.
Before the goodbye, preparing a keepsake with gentleness
The best way to leave no regret is to plan ahead, when possible. An announced end of life (illness, old age, or scheduled euthanasia) opens a precious window to prepare a pet memorial keepsake that is faithful to what you are experiencing. Many families sadly discover after the fact that a fur clipping or paw print is ideally planned before the moment of farewell.
Taking a fur clipping or paw print during your pet's lifetime
If your pet is still with you, you can ask your veterinarian or your cremation service to take a clipping of fur and create a paw print. The gesture is simple, painless, and some crematoriums even offer a clay paw print provided by Veterinary Wisdom, designed not to dry out or crack over time.
From experience, I always recommend that families who reach out to me before their companion’s passing take a little more fur than necessary. It is better to have a surplus than to find yourself unable to take another clipping later. A clipping the size of a coin is enough for a piece of jewelry.
Discussing the keepsake project with your veterinarian
The veterinary team is a valuable ally during this period. Most clinics in Quebec are sensitive to pet loss and can refer you to partner services (private cremation, urns, and memorial jewelry). Do not hesitate to bring it up, even early on: thinking about a keepsake is not a sign that you are giving up on your pet, but proof that you love them deeply.
8 concrete ways to keep a memory of your deceased pet
Here are eight proven paths to give form to your companion’s memory. They can be combined, adapted to every budget, and each speaks to a different sensitivity. What matters most is choosing what resonates with you.
1. The paw print, engraved in clay or metal
The paw print is one of the most universally chosen keepsakes. Made in a special modeling clay, it can be baked and kept in a frame, sometimes alongside a photograph. For a more durable result, the paw print can be engraved on a silver or gold medallion, or incorporated into a piece of memorial jewelry. The gesture is simple, but the result lasts for years.
2. A precious clipping of fur, carefully preserved
Keeping a clipping of fur is an ancient ritual, naturally embraced by many grieving families. The clipping can be placed in a glass vial, a locket, a frame with a photo, or braided with a ribbon. Ask your veterinarian or the crematorium agent to take the clipping before cremation or burial: they are used to such requests and will welcome them with kindness.
3. A piece of memorial jewelry made from fur or ashes
Memorial jewelry is probably the most intimate tribute that exists. A tiny amount of fur or ashes is integrated into the stone of the jewelry, worn around your neck or on your finger. You keep your faithful companion literally close to you, everywhere, all the time.
In my workshop, I design rings, pendants, and earrings made from your pet’s fur or ashes. Each piece is unique: the color of the fur, its length, the shade of the ashes, every detail influences the final result. We ship a prepaid kit anywhere in Quebec and across Canada, with clear instructions for sample collection and return.
4. A personalized funeral urn
When you choose cremation, the urn becomes the silent vessel of your companion’s final passage. The models available today reach well beyond classic shapes: carved wood, artisanal ceramic, Quebec blown glass (several local artists incorporate part of the ashes into a colored glass orb), finely engraved metal. Compagnons Éternels, in Laval, offers personalized support for choosing the urn and the ceremony.
5. A photo frame, an album, or an artistic portrait
Photographs are often what remains most alive of our pets. Creating a dedicated album, hanging a frame in the living room, commissioning an oil or watercolor portrait from a Quebec painter: each format preserves a different dimension of your pet. The portrait, in particular, captures an essence that a photograph does not always reach.
6. A memorial dedicated to the home or garden
Arranging a commemorative corner in your home transforms an ordinary space into a place of remembrance. A photograph, a candle, a favorite toy, a collar, sometimes the urn: arranged with care, these elements create a soothing presence. In the garden, a commemorative plaque placed near a beloved spot extends the tribute under the open sky.
7. A tree or flowers planted in memory
Planting a tree is a gesture that grows with time. The organization A Living Tribute, active in Canada, lets you have a tree planted in a forest in need of reforestation starting at $9.99, accompanied by a memorial card sent in your name. Each spring, the leaves or blossoms become a silent “hello” from your companion.
8. A virtual cemetery or commemorative QR code
For families who prefer a shareable digital tribute, platforms such as Animorial offer a dedicated space where photographs, messages, and stories accumulate. Euthabag, a pioneering Quebec company, also offers a commemorative QR code linked to an online Garden of Remembrance. A donation to a shelter, the SPCA, or a veterinary faculty in your pet’s name is another deeply altruistic way to extend their memory.
Memorial jewelry, a fragment of life worn close to the heart
Among these eight options, memorial jewelry holds a singular place: it accompanies its wearer everywhere, discreetly, becoming a daily presence. Unlike the urn that stays at home or the album opened only occasionally, jewelry travels with you, against your skin.
Why memorial jewelry is worn everywhere, all the time
A piece of jewelry is touched, looked at, forgotten then rediscovered throughout the day. For grieving people, this tactile and visual anchor proves particularly comforting in difficult moments: a birthday, a holiday, a quiet return home. It becomes an intimate ritual that asks nothing of anyone.
How La Joie en Rose incorporates fur or ashes into its jewelry
Our workshop designs each piece custom-made from a small amount of fur or ashes. The process is simple: we send you a prepaid kit containing all the necessary instructions, you send us back your precious fragments, and I bring your jewelry to life in our Quebec workshop.
Rings, pendants, and earrings are available, with models specifically designed for our male clientele as well.
Frequently asked questions about pet memorial keepsakes
Here are the questions that come up most often in our workshop and within pet grief communities in Quebec.
There is no fixed timeline. As the Pet Loss Support Resource Centre at the Ontario Veterinary College reminds us, grief following the loss of a companion animal unfolds differently for everyone. Some people move through the main stages within a few months, while others need several years. The pace depends on your personality, the bond you shared with your pet, and the circumstances of the loss.
Ideally during your pet’s lifetime, when the end of life is announced, or immediately after passing. Ask your veterinarian or the crematorium agent: they are used to it, and the gesture is gentle and respectful.
Yes, this is a fully recognized practice. A tiny amount of ashes is encapsulated within the stone of the jewelry, with no direct contact or visible handling. In our workshop, we support this process with a dedicated kit and clear instructions.
Yes, profoundly. As highlighted by the Pet Loss Support Resource Centre at the Ontario Veterinary College, this grief is real, valid, and can be as intense as the loss of a human loved one. If your circle minimizes your sorrow, turn to support groups or a professional trained in pet loss and bereavement.
Honoring your pet's memory, at your own pace
There is no right or wrong way to keep a pet memorial keepsake. Whether you choose a paw print, a tree, an urn, or an intimate piece of jewelry worn close to your heart, the only criterion is that the gesture feels true to you.
At La Joie en Rose, our workshop has been crafting memorial jewelry for more than seven years, with more than 7,000 pieces handcrafted to date. If you sense that jewelry is the path that speaks to you, my team and I will be glad to answer your questions about the models, the materials, the prepaid kit, and the choice between fur or ashes. Write to us whenever you feel ready: for each piece, we take the time to fully understand your project and your bond with your companion.
About the author
Karine Lajoie is the founder of La Joie en Rose, a pioneering Quebec workshop in memorial jewelry and breast milk jewelry in Canada. Since 2018, more than 7,000 pieces have been born in her hands, for families across Quebec and around the world.
The work of Karine Lajoie and La Joie en Rose has been featured in Urbania, Le Journal de Québec, Madame Le Figaro, Momzelle, and Buster Fetcher.
Comments are closed for this article!